Theatrical Politics
by Tusk Of Thyme
Summary: There's a harmony between theatre and politics it's just hard finding the defining line. While Olivia started at one and ended up in the other, she never expected that she'd ever be faced with an issue she didn't know how to tackle-until of course an old mentor calls up to cash in a favour that ends with Olivia now on Gov Grant's trail and a whole new slew of unforeseen issues.
1. Chapter 1

_The King's Speech, The Iron Lady-_what did those film titles have in common with the current predicament? Figures of legendary political power who had finessed over their public speaking and appearance with the guiding hand of theatrical arts; hired actors, to speak bluntly. Theatre is significantly more prominent than the media would lead citizens to believe and there wasn't a politician in the world that was born with the public speaking skills they projected on screen.

Working out of the city of Chicago as a theatre major and pursuing the limelight, Olivia Pope more or less put herself through college by teaching law students and the like how to dominate a court room, how to handle being heckled and most importantly, how to listen and respond appropriately. In doing this, Pope managed to make string alliances with upcoming and current politicians who usually expressed how thankful and indebted to Olivia they all were for her magic touch. It worked like a charm until she was hired by an older female judge. Call it what you will, chance, eavesdropping or being at the right place in the right time, Olivia was introduced to her current self on that fateful first day of working with her judicial client.

After she was escorted to the drawing room by the butler and left on her own, she could hear the echo of voices by no fault of her own. It was hardly a challenge to glean that there was an issue and Olivia's client made no effort to hide her distress. after an hour of Olivia fruitlessly coaching, she said something she'd never thought she'd say, "I heard your nephew was blackmailing you. I'm actually familiar with the name, I'll take care of it." With a few favors called in from former and current clients, sure enough Olivia had it taken care of, much to her and her client's pleased surprise.

It wasn't long until she was called back for another problem, then referred to someone else with a problem. Before she knew it, the judge she had helped was sending Olivia to law school and suddenly 'Olivia' became the 'Olivia Pope' of infamous notoriety today.

Until of course the cosmos decided to throw her another curve ball under the guise of a man named Fitzgerald Grant.


	2. Chapter 2

Those plastic folding chairs were less than attractive and less than orderly. As Olivia camped out in the back of the giant room she kept her eyes fixated on the clock above the main door, itching to fix the askew seating alignment. Thankfully she was snapped out of her OCD as the Governor complete with entourage skulked into the staged area. Olivia could tell he had his tail in-between is legs as he expressed his confusion and exasperation, it only increasing with the lack of voiced solutions. Olivia suppressed her face-palm urge, no longer willing to keep quiet.

"It looks like you don't screw your wife." Crystal clear and straight to the point. The commanding voice belonged to a woman who effortlessly dominated the room. For such a petite woman, she served as a vacuum which Grant's attention had no chance of escape. The energy that radiated as she slowly stepped center stage to voice her critiques was hypnotic. A quick flick of his eyes and Grant saw Cyrus with a supportive smirk in the woman's direction. Traitor.

Honestly, who on earth expected to get elected when their marriage did nothing to hide how sexually frigid the pair were? Come to think of it…where was Mrs. Grant anyway?

He snapped back to her piercing eyes and found himself mute when questioned about the location of his spouse. He silently burned with mortification as Olivia confidently continued her explanation of his apparent failure and loss of Iowa in front of all Grant's supporters.

After voicing as much, it was clear she was the only person Grant had come across who didn't mince words if his slack jawed expression was anything to go by. Olivia also picked up that he wasn't entirely pleased that someone had spoken so plainly to him in front of his complete political team. With Cyrus's smile affirming she made the right choice, Olivia also was thankful she hadn't unpacked yet.

It was difficult for the Governor in that moment to decide if he should succumb to humiliation or arousal when faced with such a dominating female. As soon as she finished, with a snap of his jaw Grant decided on the former. He dismissed his workforce before he left, a trivial attempt at trying to fill the void that Olivia Pope swallowed with her presence.

She was a hazard.

What the hell had Cyrus been thinking, to bring such a powerful female enigma on to the team?! Didn't he know at this point in their working relationship that Cyrus had just hired Grant's very specific brand of Kryptonite?!

Grant ducked for cover in a bathroom stall. It was really the only place he could think of where he'd have some semblance of privacy, a moment to still his heart and silence his thoughts. That Olivia-woman… she didn't even hesitate to ream him like a school teacher. It left him feeling…apologetic, adolescent-powerless even. Being a man of power, it was stimulating to find a woman who could intimidate him-God he felt like a school boy! There was no way she could stay…not with him being a red-blooded male now stuck in a sexless marriage, it was too great a temptation, too large of a weakness-Olivia Pope had to go. 


	3. Chapter 3

Cyrus hadn't taken the order as Grant had expected. "Ah she's great, right? A Pistol!" And would be so easy to committed suicide with.

"Fire her." Grant didn't care if she was the best student Cyrus ever had, well, until he was met with her big black eyes in the door frame he had just been occupying. Grant felt his insides freeze and sink as she searched his face briefly as if examining for an answer.

"I'll charge my hotel room to the campaign." Goddamn did this woman ever miss a beat? She spoke courteously to Cyrus as Grant stared at her striking profile. He swallowed thickly as powerful energy swarmed between them-he was suddenly feeling incredibly warm.

There it was again, that scolded school boy sensation that aimed to suffocate Grant into sheepish silence at being caught red-handed by his teacher. The curt farewell struck him like a slap as she pivoted and left, taking that hypnotic presence with her.

_Well I feel stupid_.

Cyrus was on his feet and disappointed. Grant wasn't sure that he liked being addressed as a sausage but he damn well knew he couldn't afford to replace the invaluable Cyrus and at his threat, Grant tore down the corridor to go face his fear and to prevent her from leaving. Grant would be lying if there wasn't a part of him that desperately wanted her commanding aura to stay.

_This is a horrible idea. _

He found her polished black hair disappearing down a hallway and increased to a sprint so that he could cut her off, "Miss Pope!" He mentally cursed himself as his voice trembled with nerves.

Here he was vying for the most influential and prestigious position America had to offer and he couldn't even keep a poker face chasing after a woman he didn't even know. _Idiot_.

Grant never anticipated on having to answer for why he fired her as Olivia advanced towards him. She was clearly seething as she continued to bark her worth and qualifications, not even realizing how she infiltrated upon the Governor's personal space. "I would _eat_, _breathe_ and **_live_** Fitzgerald Grant." While it was uttered almost as a threat, Grant found his breath hitch in response.

His eyes lidded over, closing off to everything that wasn't the brown sugar skin of Olivia and the mouth that was specifically designed for lipstick ads. As he succumbed to her and felt the energy tingle between them, Grant's eyes slowly drifted to her mouth and inhaled her musky perfume. "I loved hearing what you had to say, I agree with every word-very astute." She continued to draw him in closer as he memorized the contours of her face, near slack-jawed at how damn attractive she was. Maybe it was the drug of her perfume, the fact that he hadn't eaten all day-whatever it was, the words flowed from his mouth before he had the decency to stop himself, "And you're right…" His voice dropped a shade lower as he closed in on her lips, "I'd be lucky to have you…"

Did he dare? His mouth fell open as he fought with the urge to discover what Olivia's mouth would feel like…how her hot and moist tongue would feel when capable of such sharp words. His pulse seemed to push him forwards a few millimeters, testing to see if she would have a similar response.

When her eyes widened in realization the thickly charged moment was over and he retreated; mortified for the _third_ time today in less than an hour and all by the same woman.

Olivia wasn't sure she knew how to process the insinuation. _He fired me because he wants to…?! Jesus Christ…_ "-go back in there and work?" She supplied the end of Grant's clumsy offering before returning back to whence they had come.


End file.
